Shaping tomorrow’s programs

Industrial and design architect

In our capacity as an industrial architect, we support our customers and partners by managing the entire life cycle of each program. Guarantor of the system’s underlying fundamentals and its development, the industrial architect is responsible for assessing the technological challenges as well as the scope and sharing of tasks between partners. The added value we provide as an industrial architect lies in our ability to manage, coordinate and guarantee the ultimate efficacy of the systems delivered by such programs.

Our focus as a design architect is on developing data-driven systems with resilient and adaptable architectures, as well as collaborative functions that can be distributed across multiple platforms to cope with compromised network conditions.

New Generation Fighter

We are the leading industrial partner in the European New Generation Fighter (NGF) program, a mainstay of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). On the basis of the concept study contract signed in January 2019, France and Germany officially announced the start of preliminary development work on the NGF demonstrator. In December 2020, Spain became the third partner in the FCAS program.

A networked system, the FCAS includes the NGF, existing fighters, UAVs, cruise missiles, satellites, which are integrated with other systems: satellites, surveillance aircraft, along with land and naval systems.

Evolving Rafale

The Rafale continues to surge ahead thanks to a combination of technological advances and user feedback. Its F3-R standard, launched in 2014, entered initial operational capability in December 2019. It will be followed by the F4 standard: starting in 2022 for certain functions, with full operational capability scheduled for 2024. The F4 standard focuses on connectivity, survivability, combat engagement capabilities and dispatch reliability.

New Falcons

The Falcon 10X was unveiled on May 6, 2021. It is set to be the most comfortable and spacious ultra-long-range business jet. Its entry into service (EIS) is scheduled for late 2025.

The Falcon 6X program was launched in February 2018 for entry into service in 2022. It completed its first flight on March 10, 2021.

Special-mission Falcons

The contract for the Falcon Albatros for maritime surveillance (AVSIMAR) was officially announced in December 2020.

The Archange airborne strategic intelligence program was officially announced in December 2019. It will be based on three Falcon 8X aircraft incorporating electronic warfare systems designed by Thales.

Partnering on drones

The nEUROn, launched in 2012, is the first stealth combat drone (UCAV) to date to be developed as part of a joint European program. Tests of this UCAV have generated invaluable data, especially in terms of advanced stealth, and they are set to continue. Eurodrone, the European medium-altitude long-endurance drone (UAV), was unveiled in April 2018. Developed by Airbus Defence & Space, with Dassault Aviation and Leonardo as partners, its preliminary design review has been validated.

Space expertise

Our expertise enables us to design cutting-edge projects and to support future French and European space activities, which are central to strategic autonomy.